Friday, March 2, 2012

Does The Decline Of Political Parties Contribute To The Current Paralysis

Bill

Nice to know I'm in such august company. To be fair, I gave myself more than a little wiggle room when I stated that the Republican Party was doomed in its present form. It is the enduring ability of both parties to transform themselves that has produced their longevity. Just think of where all those yellow dog Democrats have gone. It's hard to imagine though, that a party comprised of mostly male, middle aged and older, hyper religiousanti immigrant whites will compete very well in a nation that is destined to become minority majority in a very short time.

The vital story of this Republican primary season is the loss of the ability of the party itself to control the agenda as it has done so effectively in the past. Jay Cost, a staff writer at the Weekly Standard, and former blogger at Real Clear Politics, has written extensively about the decline of the power of party elites on both sides to mold the agenda. That loss is what leads to the fractious competition of the current primary season and the ridiculous pandering of candidates who know better (think Romney) to every extreme notion that's out there. The Dems experienced the same fragmentation in the late 60s that reached its apex with the McGovern debacle in 1972. It may be undemocratic of me to say so, but it's easy to argue that such a decline in centralized party power erodes the possibility for compromise in a nation already deeply divided over how to solve its problems.